Combined cam and finger adjustment device for timers and distributers.



A. P. SHAW.

COMBINED CAM AND FINGER ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR TIMERS AND DISTRIBUTERS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5.19]?- 1,279,594. Patented Sept. 24,1918.

A WITNESS: INVENTOR, J15; 12 J/zaw,

A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrroa.

ALBERT PARK'SHAW, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PITTSFIELD SPARK COIL COMPANY, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

COMBINED CAM AND FINGER ADJUSTMENT DEVICE FOR TIMERs AND DIsTRIBU ERs.

'' Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

Application filed July 5, 1917. -Seria1No. 178,540.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ALBERT PARK SHAW, a citizen of the United States of America. residing in the city of Pittsfield, county of Berkshire, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Cam and Finger Adjustment Devices for Timers and Distributers, of which the following is aspecifica: tion.

This invention relates to improvements in combined cam and finger adjustment devices for timers and distributers which are used in connection with the ignition systems for igniting the charge in internal com- I bustion engines; An object of the invention is to provide a device which will readily permit an angular adjustment of the make and-break cam which is used to momentarily open and close the primary circuit of an induction coil, or magneto electric machine, such an adjustment being made relative to the shaft on which the cam is located.

A further object of the device is to provide means for varying the'angular position of the distributing finger which allows the passage of the high tension current from the secondary winding of an induction coil to the distributing terminals that are connected to the various wires which are connected to the spark plugs. A further objectof the invention is to permit the angular adjustment of the cam and distributing finger as a unit, or one piece on the supporting shaft. j j

The invention broa dly stated comprises a shaft, one end of which is formed with radial slits that extend to an axially arranged opening in the end of the shaft the inner end of the opening being provided with threads and the outer end of the opening being formed with a conical shaped, or inclined surface,the make-and-bfeak cam being located on the outside of the shaft and having'an opening therethrough to receive an expanding pin which passes through the .cam and into the opening in the end of the shaft, the dlstributer finger being provided with means for attaching the same to the end of the pin, and further means for adjusting thefinger relative to the angular position of the cam, said construction permitting'the finger and the cam to be adjusted, as a unit if desired, relative to the shaft, whereby the time of making and breaking the primary circuitand the timelof opening and closing the circuits to the various plugs may be varied when considered in either the advanced or retarded position. This invention permits the ready adjustment of the cam and finger to suit individual requirements.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional view taken on .a

plane which is considered as passing through the axis of the shaft which carries the cam,

the distributing finger, and the inclosing casing to which the various distributer terminals "are connected, and clearly illustrating the axially arranged pin in the end of the shaft for adjustably securing the make-and-break cam tothe shaft, the means for securing the distributing fingerto the expanding pin in the end of the shaft, and the means for adjustably securing said finger to the cam for adjustment as a whole on thesha-ft.

Fig. 2 is-a horizontal sectional view on the line of Fig. 1 showing the radially arranged slots in the end of a shaft, the expanding pin located in the recessed end of the cam for making and breaking the primary circuit, and conventional makeand-break contacts included in said circuit;

Fig. 3 is a detail view 'of the expanding pin with a conical surface; I

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the cam; and

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the slitted end of the shaft. It is important in this class of inventions to provide means for the easy adjustment of thetiming of the spark, and a' convenient adjustment of the distributer.

Referring to the drawin s in detail: 1 designates .a shaft which is iven by suitable connecting means from the engine. The

outer end of the shaft is formed with a reduced portion 2 and'an axiallg arranged opening 3, the lower end of whic is threaded, as indicated at 4. The upper .end of the opening 3 is formed with a conical or inclined shaped surface 5. The upper end portion of the shaft 1 is-further formed with a adjustably Securing the cam T to theshaft an expanding pin 11, shown in detail in Fig. 3, is provided, which is formed with a .conical or inclined surface 12 and. a; threaded end 13 which threaded end-engages the threads -1 at the bottom of the opening 3 in the shaft 1 and theconical surface 12 engages the correspondingly shaped surface 5, whereby, when the pin 11 is threaded into the shaft 1 the conical surface 12 will expand the slitted end of the shaft forcing the same outward against the inner surface of the cam 7. wherebv the cam is rigidly secured thereto. It is to be understood that the angular position of the cam 7 with reference to the shaft 1 can be changed before the xpanding scrc\v,.11 is tightened. The shaft 1 is preferably mounted in the baseportion 1-1 of the distributer casing 15, which is composed of some suitable, insulating material, and in the upper end of which,

' as shown. the terminals 16 to which the lead the portion 8 of the cam 7.

wires that are connected to the spark plugs, are connected. The current distributing member which conveys the high tension current to these terminals is shown secured to 18 designates a rotatable head portion of insulating material which carries the current distributing finger 19. This head portion is adjustably secured to the reduced portion 8 of the cam 7 by means of the set screw'20 which passes through the sleeve 'or bushing 21 that is formed with a threaded opening. It is evident that before the set screw 20 is tightened the head 18 and finger 19 may be readil v positioned on the reduced portion 8 of the cam 7 and relative thereto and also relative to the shaft 1. For the purpose of securing the head 18 directly to the shaft a thread 22 is formed in the outer end of the expanding pin 11 and engaging this thread is turned downward into the thread the first, a convenient adjustment of the distributer finger 19 with respect to the high tension terminals 16 when the'device is installed; second, to provide for an easy and convenient timing of the spark with respect to the motion of the piston by means of the ready adjustability of the make-and-break cam.

It is of course understood that suitable 'end portion for angularly adjusting the cam to advance or retard the ignition spark, a distributer finger for the l11ghtens1on current and carried by the cam, means for mdependently adjusting s'aid finger with respect' to the position of the cam and shaft.

2. In a timer and distributing device, the

combination with a rotatable shaft having a split end, a make-and-break cam thereon, means engaging the split end for angularly adjusting the cam to advance or .retard the ignition spark, a distributer finger for the high tension current and carried by the cam, means for independently adjusting said finger with respect to the-position of the cam, the split. end engaging means serving to adjust the cam and finger as a unit on the shaft.

3. A timer and distributer device comprising a shaft having a split end portion, av cam thereon, means for expanding said portion for tightening the cam to. prevent move ment on the shaft, a distributing finger for high tension currents, and means for securing the finger to said cam tightening means.

1'. A timer and distributer device comprising a shaft having a split end portion, a cam thereon, means for expanding said portion for tightening the cam to prevent movement on the shaft. a distributing finger for high tension currents, means for securing the fin.

ger to said cam tightening means, and addi.

tional means for adjusting the finger on the cam and with respect thereto.

In combination, a shaft having a slitted end portion. and an axially arranged opening in the slitted end of the shaft, that portion of the openin that is adjacent the end of the shaft having a conical surface, the extreme inner-end ofthe opening be:

having a threadedjend and a conical sur extending through the cam and engaging ing threaded, a cam on the slitted end. afpin ace V 1, 79,504 e a a the threaded end and o'nical surface, respectively, of the openin in the shaft for expanding the slitted en for securin the cam to the shaft, and a distributing nger 5 on the cam andm'eans for adjusting the finger with respect-to the cam and shaft.-

6. In a device of the kind described, a

shaft having a splitjend, a breaker cam, a distributing finger, means comprising an elongated pin engaging the split'e'nd of the 10 shaft for adjustably securingct he camand finger, as a 'unit; to the shaft fQf-timing'the ALBERT PARK sImW- spark. 

